99.09.13 *waves to people through the window*

Hi minna-san! Welcome to Mirage! I congratulate you for being here, because you're probably a Jrock fan. That means that you have access to a wonderful world which seems especially suited to the young (but not too young) at heart, mind and soul.

Of course, just in case you've been looking for Jewish Rock and stumbled into this site by mistake, I'll
describe briefly what Mirage is all about.

Jrock is short for Japanese rock, a genre which, sadly, few non-Japanese people know about. However, there exists a certain population of international fans who realize the amazing creativity and talent that the musicians of this genre possess. And both Daryl and I belong to this enlightened bunch! So some time last year she created Mirage, a site originally dedicated to Luna Sea. Eventually she decided to expand the page to include other bands as well (after all, how could you have a page about Jrock and not mention L'arc~en~Ciel?)-and that's where I come in. v^_^v

The two of us have teamed up on a mission to share the wealth of Jrock!

Seven sentences ago I said that Jrock is a world. It really is! There's much more to it than the incredible music, although that really would be enough in itself. As a world, it has its own art, its own literature, and its own language. (And I don't mean just Japanese.) But what makes Jrock really special to me are the people. I've formed friendships with a lot of other fans, and learned a lot aside from foreign slang and smilicons. ^-^b For instance, if I hadn't written a fanfic about Luna Sea, I never would have met Daryl! And, boy, am I glad I did. She's a fantastic person, and an absolute whiz at the graphic arts. (Although she generously gives me credit for the site, I strongly suspect that about 99% of Mirage is going to be her gorgeous handiwork. And she writes in a way that I can only admire, too!)

So, to wrap up my long-winded dissertation, this site is pretty much designed for the people of Jrock: those who want to hear, see and feel a bit of beauty and inspiration. I hope you enjoy it!

Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!

~AKI yori ^.^v

PS: There will occasionally be a little Jrock forum in which I ramble on about any topic that strikes my fancy, so feel free to re-visit this Window again!